The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J., 1834-1851: Edited, with Extracts from the Diary of the LatterWellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
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The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J., 1834-1851: Edited, with Extracts from the Diary of the Latter
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852 -- Correspondence
I received a second note from you last night dated yesterday
afternoon, and I am delighted to learn that your Eyes are better.
I wish to thank you for these Letters. But I cannot hold out any
prospect of being able to go to see you. I will not deceive you.
I am employed every day at this time by Candle Light from six in
the Morning till twelve at night! After all! God Almighty has so
framed all His Creatures, that even that noble, Animal Man!
requires refreshment food & Rest as well as others.
At my Age I feel that I require it: and I asked you not to press
me to do that which I cannot do; without neglecting Duties which
I have engaged to perform. I will go to see you; notwithstanding
that I tell you fairly that nothing can be more disagreeable to
me than to be followed by a Mob; as I invariably am; when I go to
the part of the Town in which you reside.
But I don't care: I will go to see you when I find that I can do
so; and I will give you previous notice as usual.
Ever My Dear Miss J.
Yours most faithfully
WELLINGTON.
In spite of this sudden resumption of cordiality, Miss J. did not hear
from the Duke again for over five months. But the letter then is
kindly, bearing no trace of the harshness that marked his epistles
written a couple of years earlier.
LONDON, July 31, 1849.
MY DEAR MISS J.,--I have been at Windsor Castle since Monday from
whence I have only now returned. I have to acknowledge the
receipt of several letters from you written with your usual
kindness, of motive as well as of sentiment and expression.
I congratulate you upon your success upon Mrs. L.'s Nephew!
I hope that you may go to the Seaside during the period of the
fine season. Whether you are to derive benefit from the air or
Bathing; it will be more beneficial during fine weather than
after or even during the Storm of the Equinox.
It is impossible for me to say at what period Parliament will be
prorogued.
I thank you for the beautiful Lines which you have sent me.
One of your Letters was written on Sunday the 28^th, another on
Monday the 29^th, and a third on Tuesday the 30^th.
I hope that this may reach you this evening. But it is late, and
I am afraid it may not.
Ever yours most faithfully
WELLINGTON.
WALMER CASTLE, Sept. 7th, 1849.
MY DEAR MISS J.,--I have this day received your letter dated
Wednesday; as you did not know the day of the month. I am writing
to you on Friday the 7^th You ought to receive this on Saturday
the 8^th inst.
I had not heard of the Indisposition, still less of the death of
your Guardian! But I have been for some time absent from London
and it is possible that letters may have been missent. But they
will reach me at last.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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